New York-based rock guitar band, Frog, performed an energetic concert in Willard Straight Hall on Saturday led by Daniel Bateman, featuring a queer synth-punk indie rock band called the FMs.
Cornell Concert Commissions presented the free concert, drawing members of the Ithaca community of all ages to see the group perform. Some listeners sported Frog merchandise, such as frog-themed hats and purses and tie-dyed shirts matching the one Matte Namer, FMs’ vocalist, wore on stage.
Frog was created by guitarist Daniel Bateman and lead drummer Thomas White. Bateman had White learn the drums to complement his guitar playing, and from there they created their first album. White later moved to England, and Bateman brought his brother, Steve, into the group as his new lead drummer.
Bright blue and green lights and action-packed dance moves energized the crowd as Namer, The FM’s lead vocalist, showed her appreciation to the Cornell Concert Commission for providing an opportunity to perform for their newfound community in Ithaca.
“We’re so unbelievably grateful. They’re treating us like rockstars,” Namer said to the audience during her performance.
The FMs, similar to Frog, rely on industrial soundscapes, experimenting with the construction of music and seeking to highlight symbolic meaning beyond musical enjoyment.
Namer and her late bandmate, Rex, bonded over their shared experience of being transgender and their passion for synthesizers. They self-recorded and produced 3 long-playing vinyl records. According to their website, they are committed to working to create music that goes beyond entertainment but pushes for societal progress, incorporating elements of sexuality, gender expression and societal subversion.
During the concert, Namer wore bright-pink fishnet gloves, small baby-pink athletic shorts and neon face paint that glowed with the stage lights. Her outfit embodied the group’s goal, as stated on their website, to be a “bastion of queer music, exuding sex, subversion, and style through their politically-charged pop missives.”
Their song, “Blaming it All on the Lifestyle Var. V” was a crowd favorite on Saturday. The song is set in Upstate New York, giving it a unique familiarity to Cornellians.
Cornell Concert Commission’s Executive Director Hannah Devine-Rader ’25 wrote in an email to The Sun that the Frog concert was the first concert held in the memorial room in Willard Straight, which allowed for a more intimate venue.
“We really enjoyed being able to do a smaller show in a standing venue,” Devine-Rader wrote. “We really value giving the artists a good experience, so we put a lot of effort into every aspect of our shows especially the hospitality, production, and promotion.”
Cornell Concert Commission Productions Director Areli Esparza ’26 wrote in a statement to The Sun that she loved seeing the Commission's work come together to create something for the community to enjoy.
“I got to enjoy seeing everyone individually have fun in their own way, which was pretty neat,” Esparza said. "It’s really a treat to see everything fall into place after all the work my fellow [executive]-board members and I, along with our amazing club members, put in.”
Lily Kangas ’27 is a Sun contributor and can be reached at lak263@cornell.edu.
